Why do English language students choose Portsmouth?
LSI Portsmouth is ranked the joint number one English language school in the UK, it is located in the lively and historic university city of Portsmouth, by the seaside. It has lots to suit different tastes and interests, making it a great city in which to learn English. Our English language school is right in the heart of the vibrant university area. Portsmouth is also well-situated to visit London, which is just 90 minutes away by train, and is approximately 75 minutes from both Heathrow and Gatwick Airport and only 20 minutes from Southampton Eastleigh Airport.
- Portsmouth is lively!
- There are around 20,000 university students
- Portsmouth hosts many important events such as: Victorious festival, The D-Day commemorative events (visited by the Royal family and 16 world leaders!), and America’s Cup World Series
- In 2016, it was announced by the NatWest Student Living Index, that Portsmouth was the most affordable city for students to live in!
- LSI is in the heart of the university area
- Portsmouth is sunny!
- 4 of the top ten beaches in Hampshire are Portsmouth Beaches (the others are all within easy reach).
- The Isle of Wight, famous for it’s Zoo, the Needles, and Osborne House (among other things), is a short ferry ride away, if you’d like to go there for a day trip.
- Due to the sunny climate, Portsmouth attracts and regularly hosts a number of festivals and events such as: Southsea Food Festival, the International Kite festival, and the Great South Run.
- History and culture
- The birth of Australia. The first Europeans to sail to Australia, left from Portsmouth!
- The death of Lord Nelson. Lord Nelson set sail to the battle of Trafalgar, where he died, from Portsmouth.
- Famous writers. Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, and H.G Wells all lived in Portsmouth.
- Other famous people who lived in Portsmouth include Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Why English people drink tea. The story is that Catherine of Braganza from Portugal who married King Charles in 1661 in Portsmouth, is the reason tea drinking is popular in England!
- Famous ships. Portsmouth is home to some of the world’s most famous ships: HMS Victory, the Mary Rose, HMS Warrior.
- Entertainment options!
- It’s filled with over 90 designer shopping outlets
- Bowling alleys
- A multi-screen cinema
- More than 30 bars, cafes and restaurants as well as popular student nightclubs
Portsmouth is a lively destination, filled with fun things to do:
Portsmouth is the UK’s only island city! Being a seaside, island-city you will enjoy life relaxing on the beach at the weekend or playing sport and having barbecues on the common (park area) by the sea.
Portsmouth first appeared in written history in 501AD. Since that time it has been involved in many crucial historic events such as:
Gunwharf Quays is the perfect place to relax after a hard day of studying!
All of this is overlooked by the iconic Spinnaker Tower where, from the viewing deck, you can enjoy views across the whole city, including ‘Old Portsmouth’, which, as the name suggests, is the oldest part of the city.
And of course, Southsea
Portsmouth is home to some incredible music festivals throughout the year and, with a student population of over 20,000, there’s always something happening here. If you prefer something more cultural, there are several concert halls, theatres and a contemporary art gallery nearby. Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth and Conan Doyle wrote his first Sherlock Holmes stories here and there are two museums about them here in the city.
Southsea is the cultural and social hub of Portsmouth and is where most of our homestay families are located. Southsea Common (the huge green park in the picture, by the sea) is perfect for playing football, enjoying barbeques with friends, walking or jogging by the seaside and is also home to our popular skate park.
Southsea also has a 500-year-old castle, with a café and restaurant inside, which hosts lots of parties and events throughout the year. Southsea has miles of pebble beaches and, in the summer, you’ll often find our students swimming in the sea!
